金光明經文句 1.25

1.25

「我今當說」下九行偈是敘用。文為四：初三行明能破之勝法、次三行半明所破之惡罪、次一行半舉行法勸修、次一行結成。初三行明能破勝法者，謂境法，法性也；行法，懺悔讚歎也；導法，一切種智也。故言懺悔等法，知非一種也。若相資為論，行資智，智顯理，理顯故能盡眾苦，苦盡故法身顯，智圓故報身顯，功德無上故應身顯。若圓論者，三法不縱不橫而修，三身亦不縱不橫而顯。雖圓別之殊，俱是能破之勝法也。觀舊文語略，新本具有三周說法之文，四佛說常果，上根得益；婆羅門說法身無舍利，中根得益；佛分別三身，下根得益。今敘中云「我今當說懺悔等法」，即是敘下三周之法能破惡也。次從「諸根不具」下敘述〈空品〉。文為二：初三行半明所破之惡、次二行半明能破之方。初又為三：「諸根不具」下破報障、「愁憂」一句破煩惱障、「惡星災異」下破業障。餘經對緣云報障難轉，因時可救，果無如何。此經三障皆可轉。一往釋此三障，由破五戒。破五戒是業障，受三塗人天等身是報障，煩惱為根本是煩惱障。今直就人道中明犯五戒報者，諸根外缺、壽命內夭。此兩句是殺生報，昔損他身，分今諸根殘毀；昔斷他命，今壽損減。經云「殺生因緣得二種果報，多病、短命。」即其事也。若貧窮困苦，是外無依報。諸天捨離，是內無福德。此兩句是犯盜戒。經云「有同生同名天龍輔佐之，功德天發願利益之。」盜人無此事也。又先富後貧者，必是龍棄天捨也。若親厚內鬪、王法外加，此兩句是犯淫戒。經言「人護則人瞋，法護則法壞。昔侵其人，今骨肉鬪訟；昔毀他法，今王法所加。」即其事也。各各忿諍，此應有兩句，或是翻者脫落，或是略爾。內則各各忿諍、外則人人不信，此一雙是犯妄語。昔不實欺他，今常被欺忿。昔語無實，今人無信者。外耗財物、內虧禮度，此是飲酒報。昔慢財費日，今多損耗；昔乖撙節，今墮聾騃。經言「嫌恨猛風吹罪心火常令熾然」，即其事也。問：釋大乘經，何得以五戒對義？答：開合五戒，大有所關。《提謂經》云「五戒者天地之大忌，上對五星、下配五岳、中成五藏。犯之者違天觸地，自伐其身也。」又對五常，不殺對仁、不盜對義、不淫對禮、不飲酒對智、不妄語對信。又對五經，不殺對《尚書》、不盜對《春秋》、不淫對《禮》、不妄語對《詩》、不飲酒對《易》。又對十善，殺盜淫是身三、妄語攝口四、飲酒攝意三。俗不能護口，略制一不妄語。《釋論》云「說重者是妄語」，則已攝三。飲酒是邪命自活、增益恚癡。出世以智慧為首，生死以三毒為根，若能禁酒，是防止意地三毒，長養出世智慧也。是為開五戒出十善。十善是舊法輪王所用，亦名性罪性善，都是一切罪之根本。又五戒對五陰，不殺即色陰、不盜即受陰、不淫即想陰、不妄語即行陰、不飲酒即識陰。五陰開四念處，念處開三十七品，三十七品開三脫門，三脫門開涅槃，故云色能發戒、受受禪定、想慧悟虛通、行發解脫、識即知見。當知五戒能成五分法身，辦二乘之法也。又五戒亦是大乘法門，《提謂經》云「五戒是佩長生之符、不死之印」，即常德也。「出入無亂、往還無間」，即淨德也。「統御一身」，即我德也。「以立道根」，即樂德也。此是五戒對四德。束五戒為三業，即對三無失、三不護、三輪不思議化、三密、三軌、三身、三佛性、三般若、三涅槃、三智、三德等無量三法門，橫竪無邊際，與虛空法界等，亦是無盡藏法門，亦是無量義三昧。舉要言之，即是一切佛法也。

The nine lines of verse from “I shall now speak” downward narrate the function. The text has four parts: the first three lines explain the superior teachings that are capable of destroying; the next three and a half lines explain the evil transgressions that are destroyed; the next line and a half cite the practices to encourage cultivation; the final line concludes and summarizes.

Regarding the first three lines explaining the superior teachings capable of destroying: they refer to the Dharma as the objective realm, which is the dharmatā; the Dharma as practice, which is confession and praise; and the Dharma as the guide, which is the knowledge of all aspects. Therefore, speaking of “confession and other Dharmas,” we know it is not just a single kind. If we discuss them as mutually assisting: practice assists wisdom, wisdom reveals principle, and because principle is revealed, it is capable of exhausting all suffering. Because suffering is exhausted, the Dharma body is revealed; because wisdom is perfected, the reward body is revealed; because merit and virtue are unsurpassed, the response body is revealed. If discussed from the perspective of the perfect [teaching]: the three Dharmas are cultivated neither horizontally nor vertically, and the three bodies are also revealed neither horizontally nor vertically. Although there is the distinction between the perfect and the distinctive [teachings], both are superior Dharmas capable of destroying [evil].

Examining the old text, its words are brief. The new version fully contains the text of the three turnings of preaching the Dharma: the four Buddhas speak of the permanent fruition, and those of superior faculties attain benefit; the brāhmaṇa speaks of the Dharma body having no relics, and those of middling faculties attain benefit; the Buddha distinguishes the three bodies, and those of inferior faculties attain benefit. Now in the prologue, saying “I shall now speak of confession and other Dharmas” is precisely narrating the Dharmas of the three turnings below that are capable of destroying evil.

Next, from “whose faculties are incomplete” downward, it narrates the Chapter on Emptiness. The text has two parts: the first three and a half lines explain the evils that are destroyed; the next two and a half lines explain the methods capable of destroying them. The first is further divided into three: from “whose faculties are incomplete” downward, it destroys the retribution obstacle; the single phrase “sorrow and grief” destroys the affliction obstacle; from “inauspicious stars, disasters, and portents” downward, it destroys the karma obstacle. Other sūtras say in response to conditions that retribution obstacles are difficult to transform: at the time of the cause one can be saved, but in fruition nothing can be done. In this sūtra, all three obstacles can be transformed.

To explain these three obstacles tentatively: they arise from violating the five precepts. Violating the five precepts is the karma obstacle; receiving bodies in the three lower paths, among humans, gods, and so forth is the retribution obstacle; having afflictions as the root is the affliction obstacle.

Now, explaining directly the retributions of violating the five precepts within the human path: the external deficiency of the faculties and the internal shortening of the life span—these two lines are the retribution of killing living beings. In the past one damaged the bodies of others, so now one's own faculties are ruined and crippled; in the past one cut off the life of others, so now one's own life span is reduced. The sūtra says: “Killing living beings is the cause and condition for obtaining two kinds of retribution: much illness and a short life.” This refers to that matter.

If one is destitute, impoverished, and afflicted, this is having no supportive retribution externally. If the gods abandon and depart from one, this is having no blessed merit internally. These two lines are [the retribution of] violating the precept against stealing. The sūtra says: “There are devas and nāgas born with the same birth and same name who assist him, and the Deva of Merit (Puṇyā) makes a vow to benefit him.” The thief has no such thing. Furthermore, those who are rich first and poor later are certainly abandoned by nāgas and deserted by gods.

If kin and intimates fight internally and the king's law is applied externally, these two lines are [the retribution of] violating the precept against sexual misconduct. The sūtra says: “When protected by people, people become angry; when protected by the law, the law breaks down. In the past one violated another's person, so now flesh and blood fight and litigate; in the past one destroyed another's law, so now the king's law is applied to oneself.” This refers to that matter.

“Each has wrath and contention”: there should be two lines here; either the translator omitted them, or it was just an abbreviation. Internally, each has wrath and contention; externally, no one believes him. This pair is [the retribution of] violating [the precept against] false speech. In the past one deceived others with untruths, so now one is constantly deceived and angered. In the past one's words were devoid of truth, so now people do not believe him.

Externally consuming wealth and property, and internally lacking manners and moderation: this is the retribution of drinking alcohol. In the past one was reckless with wealth and wasted days, so now one suffers great depletion; in the past one violated moderation, so now one falls into deafness and idiocy. The sūtra says: “The fierce wind of resentment blows the fire of the sinful mind, constantly making it blaze.” This refers to that matter.

Question: In explaining a Mahāyāna sūtra, why match its meaning with the five precepts?

Answer: Opening and combining the five precepts has great relevance. The Tiwei jing states: “The five precepts are the great taboos of Heaven and Earth; above they correspond to the five stars, below they match the five peaks, and in the middle they constitute the five viscera. Those who violate them defy Heaven and strike Earth, cutting down their own bodies.” Furthermore, they correspond to the five constants: non-killing corresponds to humaneness, non-stealing corresponds to righteousness, non-misconduct corresponds to propriety, non-drinking corresponds to wisdom, and non-false speech corresponds to trust. Furthermore, they correspond to the Five Classics: non-killing corresponds to the Shangshu, non-stealing corresponds to the Chunqiu, non-misconduct corresponds to the Liji, non-false speech corresponds to the Shijing, and non-drinking corresponds to the Yijing.

Furthermore, they correspond to the ten virtuous actions: killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct are the three of the body; false speech subsumes the four of speech; drinking alcohol subsumes the three of the mind. Ordinary people cannot guard speech [in all four ways], so non-false speech is instituted as a brief summary. The Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says: “Speaking of the weighty one means false speech,” so it already subsumes the three. Drinking alcohol is wrong livelihood for sustaining oneself, increasing anger and delusion. The supramundane has wisdom as foremost, while saṃsāra has the three poisons as its root; if one can prohibit alcohol, one prevents the three poisons in the ground of the mind and nurtures supramundane wisdom. This is opening the five precepts to yield the ten virtuous actions. The ten virtuous actions are what the wheel-turning king of the ancient Dharma employed; they are also called natural sins and natural virtues, and are altogether the root of all transgressions.

Furthermore, the five precepts correspond to the five aggregates: non-killing is the aggregate of form, non-stealing is the aggregate of sensation, non-misconduct is the aggregate of perception, non-false speech is the aggregate of formations, and non-drinking is the aggregate of consciousness. The five aggregates open up the four applications of mindfulness; the applications of mindfulness open up the thirty-seven limbs [of awakening]; the thirty-seven limbs open up the three gates of liberation; the three gates of liberation open up nirvāṇa. Therefore it is said: form can produce precepts, sensation receives meditative concentration, perception through wisdom awakens to the empty and pervasive, formations produce liberation, and consciousness is knowledge and vision. One should know that the five precepts can accomplish the fivefold Dharma body and manage the teachings of the two vehicles.

Furthermore, the five precepts are also a Mahāyāna Dharma-gate. The Tiwei jing says: “The five precepts are wearing the talisman of long life and the seal of immortality”—this is the virtue of permanence. “Entering and exiting without disorder, coming and going without interruption”—this is the virtue of purity. “Governing one’s whole body”—this is the virtue of self. “To establish the root of the Path”—this is the virtue of bliss. This is the five precepts corresponding to the four virtues.

Condensing the five precepts into the three modes of action corresponds to the three without fault, the three unguardeds, the three wheels of inconceivable transformation, the three mysteries, the three tracks, the three bodies, the three Buddha natures, the three prajñās, the three nirvāṇas, the three knowledges, the three virtues, and other immeasurable threefold Dharma-gates. Horizontally and vertically boundless, equal to empty space and the realm of phenomena (dharmadhātu), they are also the Dharma-gate of the inexhaustible store, and also the samādhi of immeasurable meanings. To state the essence, they are simply all Buddha-dharmas.